From Risk to Resilience: Local Tools for a Stronger Maryland

Hear how coordinating DPWs with emergency management can strengthen response and protect critical infrastructure.  Resilience planning helps counties prepare for disruptions, protect critical infrastructure, and maintain essential services. By coordinating various aspects of core operation (i.e. public works and emergency management), counties can identify vulnerabilities, strengthen infrastructure, and improve how resources are deployed before, during, and after a disaster. This approach supports faster recovery, reduces long-term costs, and helps communities remain safe and operational under…

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Talbot County Expands EMS Coverage With New Station 95

Talbot County has opened a new emergency medical services station in Cordova that will improve emergency response times for residents in the county's northern region while expanding the county's long-term emergency medical services capacity. Station 95 was designed to support the county's growing EMS system and will soon become home to Paramedic 95, a two-person advanced life support crew staffed around the clock. The facility features four apparatus bays, dedicated storage space, living quarters for…

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From Risk to Resilience: Local Tools for a Stronger Maryland

Explore how Maryland counties can align resilience planning, financing, and technical support to turn climate goals into projects that protect communities. Resiliency planning is essential for helping counties prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies while strengthening the infrastructure and systems communities rely on every day. By bringing elements of emergency planning and public works together, counties can better identify vulnerabilities, coordinate resources, and design projects that reduce risks before disasters occur. This collaborative…

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MDEM Outlines FEMA Grant Delays, New Requirements

The Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) has released new guidance detailing ongoing FEMA funding holds affecting portions of fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026 Homeland Security Grant Program awards. The grants help counties and other jurisdictions fund emergency preparedness, planning, training, equipment, and other homeland security capabilities. For fiscal 2025, FEMA continues to hold projects funded through the National Priority Areas (NPA) and Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities (LETPA) allocations. MDEM advises recipients not to…

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Montgomery Taps Reserves as Weather Response Costs Exceed $50M

Montgomery County has spent more than $51 million responding to snowstorms and severe weather during the past fiscal year, illustrating a growing fiscal challenge facing counties across Maryland as emergency response and recovery costs continue to climb. Last month, the Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a $44.4 million supplemental appropriation from the County's General Fund Undesignated Reserves to cover snow removal and storm cleanup costs that exceeded the fiscal 2026 budget. The supplemental includes approximately…

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Counties Bring Emergency Management Priorities to Capitol Hill

Congress will take another look at federal disaster policy this week as counties continue pushing for changes to how the federal government prepares for and responds to disasters. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on July 15 to examine federal disaster assistance and potential reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The committee will consider the FEMA Act (H.R. 4669) alongside recommendations from the President's FEMA Review Council, which, in May,…

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Conduit Street Podcast: From Maryland to Missouri, County Issues Align

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson is joined by Steve Hobbs, Executive Director of the Missouri Association of Counties, for a conversation on the issues shaping county government across state lines.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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FCC Considers Cybersecurity Upgrades for Emergency Alert System

The Federal Communications Commission will consider a package of changes later this month aimed at bolstering cybersecurity protections for the nation’s emergency alert systems and modernizing how alerts reach the public. For counties, the proposal affects some of the most important tools available during emergencies. Local emergency managers rely on the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to communicate with residents during severe weather events, hazardous materials incidents, evacuations, public safety emergencies,…

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Howard Launches Task Force on Disability Inclusion and Crisis Response

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball has announced a new cross-agency task force to evaluate how local government responds to crises involving people with disabilities and neurodivergences. Established through Executive Order 2026-08, the Task Force on Disability Inclusion, Safety, and Crisis Response will review current policies, procedures, and coordination efforts related to behavioral health emergencies, emergency communications, and frontline response systems. The effort reflects growing nationwide conversations about how local governments train and equip emergency responders…

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Climate Resilience Summit Seeks Strategies To Prevent Small Business Displacement

As local governments continue investing in climate resilience, disaster recovery, and infrastructure improvements, a growing conversation is emerging around how those efforts can unintentionally contribute to displacement, particularly for small businesses in vulnerable communities. The 2026 Small Business Anti-Displacement Network Summit is seeking proposals focused on equitable climate resilience and recovery strategies that help small businesses remain rooted in place as communities adapt to climate pressures. The virtual summit, scheduled for Nov. 12–13, is co-hosted…

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